Alliances New Regional Alliances and Their Impact on the Centrality of the Palestinian Cause

Abstract

In recent years, the Middle East has undergone profound transformations that have reshaped the regional alliances map and directly influenced the centrality of the Palestinian issue in Arab and international politics. Following the decline of the Arab Spring, regional conflicts evolved into polarized power struggles aimed at expanding influence and establishing dominance. This shift enabled the rise of non-Arab powers—Iran, Turkey, and Israel—as central actors, while the role of traditional Arab powers waned.

Under direct U.S. sponsorship, several Arab states, including Egypt, Jordan, the UAE, and Sudan, embarked on an unprecedented wave of normalization with Israel, leading to the formation of new alliances focused on countering the “Iranian threat,” curbing political Islam, and enhancing economic and military cooperation. However, these alignments have significantly weakened the Palestinian cause, as normalization redirected regional priorities toward security and economic interests, reducing political and financial support for Palestine and granting Israel broader legitimacy and leverage.

Consequently, Arab-Israeli relations have taken on a pragmatic and transactional character, replacing the ideological foundations that once placed Palestine at the heart of regional identity. In response, powers such as Turkey, Iran, Russia, and China have sought to politically and diplomatically support the Palestinians, yet their impact remains limited due to internal Palestinian divisions and the ongoing political stalemate.

Amid these shifting dynamics, the Palestinian leadership seeks to rebuild alliances beyond the normalization axis, a task whose success depends largely on achieving national unity and renewing effective tools of political engagement.